BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I saw 2 inbound on the Jail trail (no one before that) and one headed toward Oakland. It was 7 a.m. though. Oh, and there was a person pulling into the Jail Trail lot with a bike on the back of their car. So, not totally care free there.

I live and work in the north hills area and usually see a few riding towards the city as I ride away from it. My commute is only 4 miles one way so I usually gear up and ride after work.

I passed 4 bikes on my way in, and saw 2 more heading the other direction. One guy was riding contraflow on a residential sidewalk in Greenfield (uhg), and very nearly got creamed by a pickup truck backing out of his driveway at a high rate of speed (right before the Greenfield side of the Greenfield bridge). I saw it happening and was thinking how I am going to need to dial 911. Luckily both of them slammed on the brakes just in time. Danger, danger out there.

@Jeff: Do you really think the people at the parking lot, probably South Hills types, are going to bother to get down and dirty and actually ride their bikes through the South Hills?

East End is so much better set up for biking: terrain, roads, traffic, etc. I would hate to try commuting from the North, South, or Penn Hills via bike. To me, length is not the issue, it would be fighting with traffic, hills, and narrow roads for potentially 3 hours+ on a daily basis.

One has to admit, it's much harder to go totally car free from those areas (they were designed AROUND the car) and that's kinda why I'm such a big proponent of PAT completing their entire fleet of buses with bike racks. Or if you want a better bike lifestyle, my simple suggestion is move to the city!

@Jeff: Do you really think the people at the parking lot, probably South Hills types, are going to bother to get down and dirty and actually ride their bikes through the South Hills?

No and I agree it's harder to go totally car free from the particularly from the South Hills. I'm always happy to see people on bikes, for any part of their commute esp. if it means they aren't going downtown in a car.

This is, of course, why I live in Squirrel Hill. And why, it is my hope, people will continue to rethink the suburban sprawl model and move back to the city and revitalize it. Indeed, those folks with the bike on the car might be thinking to themselves "Wow, I should consider moving to the East End."

Well, probably not but I can dream.

+1 @jeff

I love the commute from Squirrel Hill too, one reason I moved here.

For Car Free Fridays have they ever had meeting points those days at various city neighborhoods to show newbies the best routes to commute in?

Pgher's love to be shown how to do something before they do it, and I think more people from the East End would bike in if they were shown the bike routes.

yes, frequently.

For Car Free Fridays have they ever had meeting points those days at various city neighborhoods to show newbies the best routes to commute in?

There were planned ride leaders last year when CFF started up. A few of us were discussing this morning that this didn't happen in 2010? BikePGH staff, is there a plan for these again?

Nice sign for CFF this morning on 376 outbound at the "Oakland 1 mile" electronic thingy... hope drivers took note! I was jailtrailing to work and it caught my eye.

I was one of the "bike marshalls" in the North Hills last year, when we went from offering bike buddies/mentors on Bike to Work events only to offering them on fridays all summer long. I have to say, the North Hills (Brighton Heights) turn out was very low. But, you are right. It is something we (as a collective group, not just BP staff) should continue to offer on a regular basis.

I bike in every Friday anyway, I'd be happy to meet people in Squirrel Hill. Although, I take the Schenley Park route where you walk across the railroads tracks, which isn't exactly legal.

Good to see the interest in Bike pools again this year. We'll try to begin them again. Let's start with the next Car Free Fridays set for the June 18th.

I'll make a new post.

Just a reminder. Today's another Car Free Friday. We're going to be at Whole Foods, Pitt Union, and Fifth Avenue Place from 7:30 to 10:00am

Stop by pick a voucher, enter the raffle, and if you're on your bike get some breakfast!

Strangely, I saw fewer bikes today than on any other day this week. I had a great ride, regardless. And I send a big shout out to Chris from Thick. He was at the downtown breakfast (Fifth Avenue Place) and at my request lubed my chain. All the recent rain really did a number it, and I have been lax in my maintenance. Then he checked the brakes -- front was a little loose, so he tightened that up. Then a tweak to the back brakes for good measure. Tightened the riser on my stem. Tightened the water bottle cage (who ever checks THAT ?). I felt like queen for a day, having someone do all this while I was free to grab a free breakfast. Thanks, Chris! I really appreciate all the time and effort you expended today.

Argh, I missed it! I went right by there, too, and as it turned out, encountered three rack-less buses (G2, 26E, G2) before a G2 finally arrived with a rack. So I would have had plenty of time to grab a bagel.

I rode in the morning from Penn Hills. one word -deargodinheavenwheredidthesehillscomefromandifreallylovemeyouwilljustkillmenow - but I made it. It was a great ride and I decided that I am bit more out of shape than I thought so I Racked and rolled it home. It was something really great. I am already planning on takeing the bus so far in and then biking the rest of the way (shadyside to town) then reverse it and bike to shadyside and catch a bus home from there.

What really shocked me was the number of people who got on and saw me with my helmet and saw the bike and asked me about it. It was good to spread the Gospel of biking but a little strange that even now so many people look at the idea of riding a bike as odd. (I will say that even a few years ago the idea of riding my bike up and down sheer cliffs (yeah I know YOU call them hills) for the 12 miles from home to town seemed a bit odd to me as well.)

Which only goes to show you after a while even the strangest things become normal

DB

those hills will get smaller and smaller the more you ride. it might not seem like it now, but trust me.

Yeah I know I used to ride alot more than I do now I can remember having to constantly redefine the word hill. Im pretty sure that no matter the shape I get in some of those hills on lincoln will always be hills.

After sitting around all winter being told I can't ride a bike, once I finally could I was feeling really bad on the hills. Now I take the way home with extra hills, because there are less cars that way, and that seems way better than climbing a little hill.

i ride lincoln pretty regularly, and i don't really consider it to be terribly hilly. it just hasn't got anything on them country rollers.

then again, i generaly ride it outbound, so i'm going down the hills you climbed. but i still have to get to the top somehow.

McCandless to Moon, I used to think Pine Hollow was stiff and Fairhaven impossible. Pine Hollow really isn't all that bad, now that I've had some practice, it's just lllooonnnggg. A triple crankset would make Fairhaven a lot easier on the knees.

I'm sure the hills on your side of town are comparable.

Yeah I know that most of my hill problem is me and I could probably enjoy it more if I didnt reach the top of each hill completely spent. as a FGOB(FatGuyOnBike) I know where my problem really lies. still I made up the hills and made it in. it was a pretty enjoyable ride, it took me about what I thougth it would and Im not sure I can spend that much time riding in each morning but I can sure spend that much time riding ig on some mornings. it was a very pleasant ride.

Car Free Friday anyone? You can now sign up online to participate in the raffle. Pick up you Northside voucher at the BikePGH office.

What is on the voucher this month?

July voucher

Thanks Lou! I'll be sure to stop in and pick one up.